Grafham Water ‘fishing its socks off’

Festive Fishing at Rutland Water on Boxing Day Join us for boat or bank fishing with refreshments at 3pm Call 01780 686441 to book a boat

Bank bonanza at Grafham Water 30 December With Grafham Water fishing its socks off join us for a friendly and social competition on the penultimate day of 2015

Anglian Water’s first fish of 2016…….. Tell us about yours – email fishing@anglianwater.co.uk with your story and pics and we will publish them in early January

Season continues to 31 January 2016 for both bank and boat anglers at Rutland and Grafham Pitsford is open for bank fishing to 31 January and Ravensthorpe until 31 December.

www.anglianwater.co.uk/leisure

Rutland Water 01780 686441; Grafham Water 01480 810531;

Pitsford, Ravensthorpe & Hollowell 01604 781350,

Taverham Mills Fishery 01603 861014; Alton Water 01473 589105

Recreation Dept Anglian Water 01572 653021

Rutland Water

When winds have allowed bank anglers have been able to cash in. Good numbers of fish are coming out from the south shore from East Creek, down to Normanton Church right the way through to the hotspot (just before Fantasy Island), with anglers catching up to eight fish in a session. A couple of weeks ago one boat pair recorded 8 fish limits taking drifts off the Normanton bank.

Fish are mainly around the 2lb mark. However, season ticket holder Roy Taylor of Oakham managed a 4lb 9oz specimen recently. Most of the fish have been falling to nymphs, though minkies have worked for some and even dry fly on some occasions. Fish have again been moving very close in to the shoreline which has made things interesting.

Oakham angler Malcolm Shepherd recorded his 500th fish of the season recently. With the New Year just around the corner we would love to hear about your first fish of 2016 – share your story and email your pics to fishing@anglianwater.co.uk for publication in the first week of January.

Predator fishing

This has been a bit hit and miss recently with some boats doing well and others struggling. Pike to mid doubles have been caught and Zander to 17lb netted.

Forthcoming events Rutland Water has a festive treat lined up for anglers on Boxing Day. Join us for a day’s bank or boat fishing. All boats back at 3pm for refreshments. It’s an ideal opportunity to test the new gear you got for Christmas. Call 01780 686441 to book a boat.

Grafham Water As we head towards the end of 2015 Grafham Water is still in fine form with a rod average for the week of 4.28 and a third of the fish caught weighing 3lb or over. The reservoir is fishing its socks off and with the holidays just around the corner, we have a new social friendly competition to keep you busy before the New Year celebrations. Come and join us on Wednesday 30 December for a 9am start, weigh in at 3pm. Registration will be at Grafham Water Fishing Lodge. The entry fee is £10 (plus usual permit) with a 6 fish limit. To book your place please call the Lodge on 01480 810531.

The best Rainbow of the week was a 6lb 4oz specimen taken by Dave Kennel of Market Harborough.

Bank anglers have again had a great week’s sport with plenty of good consistent catches coming from a number of different areas around the reservoir. The main hotspots for the week have been the Seat, Sludge Bank, Gaynes Cove, Pylon Point and G Bank. The most consistent methods for the bank anglers have been to fish floating or intermediate lines with snakes, minkie booby, shrimp patterns, hares ear and cats whiskers fished slowly.

Boat anglers have also had a great week’s fishing with most points along the north shore giving good consistent catch rates. These areas have been G Buoy, Pylon Point, Rectory Bay and the Willows, also Gaynes Cove and the Seat area have also produced good catch rates when the south westerly winds have made the north shore too rough to fish. The preferred method for the boat anglers over the past week has been to fish intermediate lines with snakes, minkies, tubes, hares ear and shrimp patterns.